The United States Air Force381st Training Group (381st TRG) at Vandenberg AFB, California provides
training for the nation's space and intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM) operations and ICBM and Air Launched Missile (ALM)
maintenance forces. This Air Education and Training Command (AETC)
organization is a tenant unit located on an 80-acre
(320,000 m2) site at Vandenberg AFB.

During World War
II, its predecessor unit, the 381st Bombardment Group
(Heavy) was an Eighth Air ForceB-17
Flying Fortress unit in England, stationed at RAF Ridgewell. The group had the highest
losses of all groups on first Schweinfurt mission on 17 August
1943. It flew 296 combat missions, with its last mission being
flown on 25 April 1945

Aircraft
and missiles

Operational
History

World War
II

B-17s of the 381st Bomb Group, Ridgewell Airfield England, en route
to targets over Nazi-occupied territory. The aircraft in the
foreground is Boeing B-17G-70-BO Fortress, Serial 42-31443 "Friday
the 13th" of the 532d Bomb Squadron. This aircraft was lost on 22
February 1944 on a mission to Bunde, Germany.

Boeing B-17G-55-BO Fortress Serial 42-102664 "Happy Bottom" of the
532d Bomb Squadron being christened by Edward G.
Robinson, 5 July 1944. Unfortunately this aircraft ditched in
the English
Channel on 16 July 1944

Boeing B-17G-70-BO Fortress 43-37675, of the 532d Bomb Squadron en
route to targets over Nazi-occupied territory. Named "Patches",
"Flak Magnet" and "Trudie's Terror" by various aircrews, This
aircraft survived the war and was retired to Kingman AAF Arizona on
17 December 1945.

Constituted as the 381st Bombardment Group
(Heavy) on 28 October 1942. Activated on 3 November 1942.
Used B-17's in preparing for duty overseas. Moved to RAF RidgewellEngland, May-June 1943, and
assigned to Eighth Air Force. The 381st was
assigned to the 1st Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment
Division.

The Group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for performance
on 8 October 1943 when shipyards at Bremen were bombed
accurately in spite of persistent enemy fighter attacks and heavy
flak, and received a second DUC for similar action on 11 January
1944 during a mission against aircraft factories in central
Germany.

Aircraft from the 381st participated in the intensive campaign
of heavy bombers against enemy aircraft factories during Big Week, 20–25 February
1944, and the Group often supported ground troops and attacked
targets of interdiction when not engaged in strategic
bombardment.

The Group supported the Normandy invasion in June 1944 by bombing
bridges and airfields near the beachhead. Attacked enemy positions
in advance of ground forces at Saint-Lô in July 1944. Assisted the airborne assault on Holland in September.
Struck airfields and communications near the battle zone during the
Battle
of the Bulge, December 1944 - January 1945. Supported the
Allied crossing of the Rhine in
March 1945 and then operated against communications and
transportation in the final push through Germany.

The wing was composed of two Strategic Missile Squadrons (the
532nd and the 533rd). These squadrons were each composed of nine
ballistic launch complexes, each housing a Titan II
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. The Titan II being 105 feet
long and 10 feet in diameter. The launch complex was about 150 feet
deep and 50 feet in diameter including the twenty foot diameter
launch tube which comprised its center.

The Titans were fully configured for immediate launch in a
matter of two minutes. The launch sequence included a number of
test and initiation functions as well as a 20 second door opening
sequence. The Silo closure door weighed 780 tons and was locked
down with hydraulically operated locks, and raised on hydraulic
jacks. The hydraulics also operated the radial motors that pulled
the door open with 1.5 inch diameter steel cables (4 of them).
Launch initiation was also accompanied with attenuation water which
flowed 9000 gallons per minute for sound suppression and protection
of the silo during the launch.

Launch crews were composed of four personnel. Two officers were
responsible for launch initiation, while two enlisted crewmembers
were responsible for equipment checkout, repair and readiness. All
four crewmembers were together responsible for communications, and
final responsibility for launch. With an average of eight alerts
(duty shifts at the site) per month, a crewmember achieved 200
alerts in about two years.

On August 24, 1978, an accident involving an oxidizer leak at
launch complex 533-7 killed two Air Force personnel, caused the
temporary evacuation of local communities, and damaged the site. A
more positive event occurred during the following month as First
Lieutenant Patricia E. Dougherty became the first female officer to
perform SAC Titan II alert.

On October 2, 1981, Deputy Secretary of Defense Frank l?
Carlucci ordered the inactivation of the Titan II weapon system.
For McConnell, the end began on July 2, 1984, when Launch Complex
533-8 was removed from alert status. This silo would be placed in
caretaker status on August 31st. The deactivation process received
a setback on November 2, 1984, when fire broke out at Launch
Complex 532-7 after liquid fuel had been unloaded from a
deactivated Titan II. As a result of the ensuing investigation,
Headquarters Strategic Air Command and the Ogden Air Logistics
Center determined that the accident could have been prevented if
different procedures were followed. With implementation of these
procedures, Titan II deactivation continued.

On August 8, 1986, the 381st Strategic Missile Wing became the
second Titan II wing to be deactivated. The 381st was deactivated
after providing twenty-plus years of strategic deterrence and
winning numerous awards, including the SAC missile combat
competition Blanchard Trophy in 1972, 1975, 1980, and 1983.

The 381 TRG provides qualification training for ICBM, space
surveillance, missile warning, spacelift, and satellite command and
control operators. It also performs initial and advanced
maintenance training on ALM and ICBM's. It conducts training in
joint space fundamentals and associated computer maintenance. The
group also conducts qualification and orientation training for Air
Force Space Command (AFSPC) staff and senior-level personnel, as
well as instructor enhancement in support of operational units.

In July 1993, responsibility for missile training was
transferred from Air Combat Command to AETC. In September 1994,
responsibility for space training was transferred from AFSPC to
AETC and consolidated with the missile training units into the
381st Training Group. In October 1996, the space training squadrons
moved from Colorado Springs to Vandenberg to further complete the
unit's consolidation.

The group consists of five squadrons. The 381st Training Support
Squadron provides faculty training, interactive courseware,
registrar services, facility management, and resource management
and procurement. The four other squadrons are dedicated to student
training. The 392nd Training Squadron (TRS) conducts Enlisted Space
Operations Training, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training, and
ICBM Initial Qualification Training (IQT). The 532 TRS provides
courses for ICBM, ALM, and spacelift maintenance. The 533TRS
conducts space surveillance and early warning training. Detachment
1, 533 TRS, located at Schriever AFB, CO, performs training for
command, missile warning, air defense and space operations at
Cheyenne Mountain. The 534TRS provides spacelift and satellite
command and control IQT. All in all, the group has graduated more
than 6000 students from more than 100 different courses.

The 381 TRG is linked to the Air Force global engagement vision
and its supporting core competencies through its mission of
providing the highest quality space and missile operations and
maintenance training for the Air Force and other agencies.